


You Have Family

by fanficfanatic84



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, Mentions of Seb and Grace
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 17:44:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16602638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanficfanatic84/pseuds/fanficfanatic84
Summary: Chas catches up with Robert and has that chat  just not the way she saw it going.  Set a few days after Robert's meeting with his solicitor.





	You Have Family

**Author's Note:**

> Mentions of Seb and Grace
> 
> Just wanted a closer look at how Robert deals with things.

Chas' mind is reeling from everything that has happened in the last few weeks - losing Grace, her baby boy getting married & then Seb who she had grown to love has been cruelly taken away. Her mind drifts to thinking about Robert, she said she wanted to talk to him and was going to tear strips off him for not discussing things with Aaron. And the cold hard reality was Robert was taking the blame as he didn't want Aaron to have that guilt. So again Robert was protecting her baby even though he was obviously hurting too.

She decides she needs to get some air maybe that will do her good. As she wanders through the village she realises she's heading to visit Grace - her beautiful precious daughter that was taken away too soon. As she gets closer to the cemetery she takes deep breaths, she still can't get used to visiting her daughter here its so painful.

She walks into the cemetery, steels herself and looks up - what she sees catches her off guard. Robert is there crouched down next to Grace with flowers. She can't decide whether to go back out and let him have a moment or go and talk to him. Then it strikes her Robert was there for all of them when Grace died but no one asked him how he was with it. And then everything with Seb afterwards she just hasn't thought about it.

"Hi Robert." She says softly. 

He clears his throat and jumps up like he's been caught doing something he shouldn't.

"Oh hi, umm I was just going so I will leave you to it."

He goes to move past her but she grabs his arm and looks at him properly. Its clear he has been crying and her heart breaks for him. "Oh love come here." 

She pulls him into a hug and the damn bursts as he breaks down crying. She never sees this side of Robert as he can be such a closed book. The sobbing turns to sniffles and he leans back and looks at her.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have done that. You have enough on without me adding to it." He says as he wipes his face with his sleeves a very Aaron like move. 

"Robert Sugden-Dingle, you stop that and stop it right now." She sees the shock on his face but carries on "You are a member of this family like it or not and you are hurting. But this bottling things up isn't good for you. So me and you are going to go to yours as I know Aaron and Liv are out. We are gonna have a cuppa and a chat. No arguing with me". She sees the tiniest nod from Robert and smiles at him. She turns to Grace and tells her she will be back later to visit.

"Look Chas, I obviously interrupted your visit so you should stay."

"Well one I interrupted you and two I said no arguing with me."

He holds his arm out for her and she hooks hers around his and they head towards to the Mill.

 

They get to the Mill and Robert is still looking a little lost. So Chas steers him to a seat at the table and makes them both a tea. She sits down next to him and places the tea in front of him and she gets a mumbled thanks. She sits there and watches him hold the mug of tea, so quiet and small looking and not very Robert like at all.

"So, what have I done now?" Robert asks to quietly and still won't make eye contact with Chas.

"Sorry, what?" She says slightly taken aback.

"Well you told me the other day we were going to have a chat and well today you brought me here for that. Normally when you want to chat is because I have done something so go on."

Chas sits there shocked not speaking as she realises that's partly true. Robert always makes sure everyone is looked after and she thinks who does he let look after him. Who checks on him - she knows Diane doesn't really with Robert or if she does he plays it off and she buys it.

"God Robert, I am so sorry."

Robert's head immediately snaps up and he looks at Chas in shock.

"You have been going through so much recently on your own with Seb and Rebecca and you had to deal with that all on your own. And that's not right. You are a member of this family and you have been making sure you are doing things for us because of Grace but you lost her too and then Seb leaving, you shouldn't have had to deal with that."

"Chas I am not looking for you to feel sorry for me. I had to be there for Aaron, he's my husband and he needed me."

"I am not feeling sorry for you Robert. You will never know how much it means you are there for Aaron something I never thought I would say. You look after my boy and I know he helps you but sometimes you need to talk to someone else other than your husband. Aaron comes to me but where do you go?"

Robert has tears running down his face now, she moves a little closer to him and takes his hands in hers.

"You know I never thought me and you would be here eh? But here we are Robert Sugden-Dingle. I have seen you a few times visiting Sarah's grave I am assuming you go talk to her?"

He nods slightly, tears still flowing and his chin wobbling like he's trying so hard not to breakdown.

"I will not tell you to stop going to her, but what I will say is just remember or keep in mind you can always come to me too."

She doesn't get to finish as that statement as Robert completely breaks down crying again everything he was holding in coming out. She pulls him into a hug and rubs his back whispering to him to let it out. She doesn't know how long passes before he calms down and he leans back and she watches the wall go straight back up.

"Stop it and stop it right now. You are putting that wall up again Robert. Just talk to me or please find someone you can."

He sniffs "I just don't want to dump my problems on to you or Aaron. You just lost Grace so how is it fair I am upset about Seb. I didn't have to bury him."

Chas reaches forward and strokes his cheek "Oh Rob, a loss is still a loss. You are allowed to be sad that Seb is in Liverpool."

"But you, Paddy, Aaron well all of the Dingles you guys are all so devastated about Grace I cant even imagine what that must have been like for all of you. And I grieved for her too its not like I don't care its just now I have had the time to just sit and think and its killing me. But I feel like if I talk about it everyone will get upset and I don't want to do that so......" he trails off.

"You keep quiet and bottle it up?" She asks knowing the answer.

He nods slowly.

"Robert, you need to talk too. And you know what? If we get upset together that's okay. It's allowed and totally normal. And you know what it helps to let it all out even though it hurts. It helps to know that you are not alone. And please don't think that how you are feeling about Seb is less important that how we feel about losing Grace. If its important to you its important to us and Seb is family."

Robert takes a deep breath "It's just hard you know. I have been so used to being on my own and having to deal with everything and not really having anyone I could talk too or trust for that matter. That now I am just finding it hard to have people around and be interested in me."

He pauses and she knows this is make or break time in their conversation as if she says the wrong thing those walls will go up and not come back down again.

"I am sorry that you were alone for so long and had to deal with so much on your own. That wasn't fair and shouldn't have happened. But what I can tell you is you have family now who will definitely load all of their problems onto you and there are many Dingle family meetings in your future trust me." She notices a small smile on his face. "And Aaron is a tough cookie you know and he loves you and will always have your back. But here's the deal, you ever need anyone to talk too like you would a mum then you promise that you will come to me. I mean obviously I am not old enough to be your mum."

Robert laughs and wipes his face. "Hmmm if you say so."

She slaps his arm. "Cheeky sod."

He sighs "I miss Seb. I knew it was going to be hard. And I felt horrible making the choice without Aaron but honestly Chas I didn't mean to hurt him. I knew the guilt he would feel, but maybe if I had talked with someone about it. Instead I went in blindly and hurt everyone."

"I am not going to lie you know I was angry and upset too. But I get why you did it. Look we all understand and know you are hurting too but don't forget you drank from that wellie meaning you are one of us."

Robert makes a disgusted face and Chas hits his arm again. "I meant cos I drank from the wellie not about being one of you lot!!"

"Hmmmm not sure I believe ya but okay. So do you promise?"

"Yeah I promise, thanks Chas."

Before she can reply they both hear the door as Aaron and Liv barrel in arguing about the pasta they forgot to pick up. Robert looks at Chas and they both smile.

"This isn't over but I know today was a lot."

"Thank you Chas it means a lot."

Aaron looks at them both suspiciously "Alright? What going on?"

"None of your business." Chas gives Aaron a look that says keep going and I will give you a clip round the ear.

"Fine, whatever then." Aaron replies and him and Liv move to put the shopping away.

Chas looks at Robert he looks like some of the pressure has been taken off him.

"I am going to go visit Grace tomorrow, would you come with me?" Chas asks.

Aaron turns around and gives Chas a half hug the best he can at this angle "Of course I can."

"That's great love but I wasn't meaning you I was asking Robert." She says throwing her son a quick smile and then turning her attention to Robert. She knows that Aaron and Liv are throwing each other confused looks but both are smart enough to not comment.

"Are you sure?" he replies.

"I will take that as a yes then. Good I will see you at the pub about half ten." She gets up and puts her jacket on.

Robert stands too and looks like he wants to hug her but he doesn't so Chas does it for him and whispers "you can talk to them too you know". She quickly hugs Aaron and Liv and heads out knowing that Robert will get grilled but that she can ask him about it tomorrow.

**Author's Note:**

> I am thinking of doing a chapter with Robert talking to Aaron and Liv.  
> Following it with him meeting with Chas.


End file.
